Bundle of Joy
by kate811
Summary: Four times CC interacts with the Sheffield kids, and one time she interacts with her own. Niles is there, too, of course.
1. Maggie

**Author's Note: Hi, everyone! I dedicate this story to Jilian (aFineMess5) for still being my friend even though I introduced her to The Nanny XXX Parody. I have a good portion of the story done already, so that's cool. Anyway, hope you guys like it, and if you want to fan girl over Niles & CC with me, you can find me on tumblr (ccbabcocks) and twitter (rupertqiles)! **

**Bundle of Joy Chapter 1 – Maggie**

The bright, welcome smiles and cheery, pastel scrubs of the nurses do nothing to squelch the dread that forms a knot in her stomach as her heels click down the linoleum hallway.

It's not that CC hates hospitals, not that she looks forward to entering a breeding ground for death and disease, no, it's that she hates babies.

Well hate's a strong word. But if the cold, heartless shoe fit…

She just didn't see what the big deal was, anyway. Babies didn't do anything except cry and make a mess. She once saw a documentary on the Discovery Channel about deer and learned a newborn deer could stand within 10 minutes of being born, and walk within 7 hours. Now _that_ was impressive. Newborn babies couldn't even sit up by themselves. They were basically just useless lumps.

CC rolls her eyes as she nearly bumps into a man, or rather the giant teddy pair he's holding that is somehow supposed to be charming, rather than a complete nuisance.

More specifically, this is what she hates: people who make a big deal over babies. _'What the hell use does a baby have for a giant bear that's 10 times its size? They don't even know what bears are. I bet newborn bears can already hunt full-grown deer...'_

She shakes her head to chase away the thoughts and plasters a smile on her face. Sara is her best friend and if Maxwell and Sara wanted to start producing spawn, so be it. She would be there for them and smile and pretend to care.

A candy striper points her in the direction of her friend's room, and CC tentatively knocks.

"CC! Come in! Come in!" Maxwell greets enthusiastically as he opens the door, immediately knocking the wind out of her as he envelops her in a tight embrace.

"Oomph," C.C. replies gracefully.

Maxwell loosens his hold on her so that his hands are instead gripping either shoulder. "Oh wait till you see her, CC! 9 pounds, 10 ounces! Can you believe it?"

CC widens her eyes to feign shocked interest. She has no clue if this means the kid is a shrimp or a tub of lard, but Maxwell seems to think it is important.

"Congratulations!" She replies weakly.

"Don't hog her all day, Max. Let her come see!" A tired voice calls out from inside the room.

At this, Maxwell lets go. "Ah, yes. Go right in, CC. I'm off to get Sara lunch. I trust you can handle things at the office while I take care of my girls?"

CC nods, deciding not to remind her boss that she handles things at the office even when his wife didn't just have a baby.

Another quick hug and he's off, practically skipping down the hallway, unable to contain his joy.

CC braces herself, prepared for her dear friend to look like she had gone through a zombie apocalypse (another drawback to the whole _having a baby thing_, if you ask her.) However, she's pleasantly surprised to find Sara looking lovely as ever, not a hair out of place as she smiles serenely and gestures to the pink bundle in her arms.

"She just finished nursing; she's already so good at latching! I'm just so amazed by her."

CC has no idea what 99% of the words in that sentence mean, but Sara sounds impressed, so she just smiles and congratulates her friend.

"Would you like to hold her?"

CC freezes.

"Oh…really, she looks so comfortable in your arms, Sara, I'd hate to cause her to fuss," She hopes that would be the end of that.

Sara shakes her head, already maneuvering the infant to hand her off, "Nonsense, CC, you have to hold her! Maggie, say hello to your Aunt CC!"

"Must we subject her to cruel and unusual punishment already, Mrs. Sheffield? The poor thing is barely a day old."

CC's eyes snap immediately to the doorway, where Niles stands, holding of course, a ridiculously sized teddy bear.

Sara chuckles as Niles places the stuffed monstrosity on a chair, bends down, kisses her cheek, and congratulates her. "Now, now, children, play nice today. I don't want Maggie's first words to be an insult!"

The sworn enemies roll their eyes good-naturedly, and CC hopes she will luck out and Sara's previous demands at holding her child will be forgotten now that The Creature from the British Lagoon had arrived.

"CC, come here."

Luck is not a lady. Luck is a cheap floozy, looking for her next fling at the nearest dive bar.

"Oh all right. Let's get this over with," She mutters, and she swears she hears Niles try in vain to cover up a snort of laughter.

"What was that, CC?" Sara asks, too entranced by her newborn to hear.

"I said I can't wait to hold the little darling." CC says, thinking quickly, as the baby is plopped into her awaiting arms.

"Good God!" CC exclaims as the full weight of Maggie is placed in her arms, Maxwell's earlier excitement over his daughter's weight now making sense. "What the hell have you been feeding this kid, Sara? Everything?"

Sara laughs, "She's my little butterball!"

"Aw look at that, she takes after you!" Niles says as he nudges CC.

CC shoots him a glare and looks down at the baby in her arms, her features immediately softening.

She _is _cute; she'll give the kid credit for that.

"You're a natural!" Sara exclaims.

CC smiles as the baby's mouth rounds to a perfect O as she yawns contently…

And promptly projectile vomits all over CC.

For what seems like an eternity, the room is dead silent in shock at what has just happened.

Finally, Sara speaks, trying very hard to contain her amusement, "Oh…oh dear. I guess she was really full. I am so sorry, CC. We will, of course, pay for your dry cleaning."

CC bites her tongue as Sara hands her a cloth to wipe herself off with, knowing her one-of-a-kind Chanel suit will never be the same regardless of how well it is cleaned.

"It's fine, Sara. Really. Um, can someone take her? I can't…" She motions to the towel in one hand and the baby still nestled tight in her arms.

"Here…let me," Niles manages to get out, his voice coming out in tiny squeaks.

CC looks at him. His face has turned beet red as his lips scrunch up, trying desperately to hold back the peals of laughter that so obviously want to explode from well within him.

"Oh, shut your stupid trap," CC snarls as she places the now-sleeping-peacefully baby in his awaiting arms.

Niles closes his eyes while his lips still hold back a satisfied smirk.

"Sara, I will see you when you get home. Congratulations again!"

With a curt wave and a swift turn on her heels, CC Babcock is gone.

Finally, Niles and Sara burst out the laughter they had nearly failed to contain.

"The poor dear," Sara exhales, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. "I can't wait till she has a little one of her own. She'll be so in love with it she won't care what it vomits on!"

Niles sighs in pure glee, not allowing himself to picture the Abominable Babcock reproducing little she-devils of her own. For now he's content staring at the new little life, who had made his whole day and did not even know it.

"Maggie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."


	2. Brighton

**Author's Note: So glad you guys enjoyed the first chapter. Here's the next installment! :)**

**Bundle of Joy Chapter 2 – Brighton**

"Look, Chad, I don't care what the hell came up. You will have the finale choreographed by this time next week, otherwise I will personally see to it that you never work in this town again!" CC storms into Maxwell's office, paying little attention to her surroundings as her face flushes red with rage at the loser who has dared to cross her on the other end of the line.

"Idiot thinks he can get out of his contract just because his grandmother died," She mutters to herself as she slams the phone down and sinks into Maxwell's chair behind the desk.

"Who's an idiot?" A small voice startles her.

It is then that she notices Brighton Sheffield sitting in her typical spot on the leather green loveseat, hands folded in lap, denim overalls stained with god knows what.

"Oh. Why are you in here?" CC asks the boy, decorum be damned.

"I'm in time out," Brighton explains.

"Oh," CC nods.

An awkward silence engulfs the room as CC mindlessly shuffles through a pile of scripts on the desk trying to avoid eye contact with the child. A quick peek out of the corner of her eye tells her that the kid is still looking at her. Tossing the pile of scripts into the trash (an insult to the trash, really, CC notes), she focuses her attention on the kid once more.

"So, what did you do to land yourself in time out?" She asks.

Brighton sighs exasperatingly and CC finds herself hiding a smile. This is not his first time out and she has a feeling it will not be his last. The kid has a heart of gold, but always manages to attract mischief wherever he goes. CC suspects it is somehow that no good butler rubbing off on him, but Sara insists all little boys are rambunctious and that CC should stop trying to get Niles fired. Whatever.

"I stepped on the cat's tail and it made a loud noise and woke up baby Gracie," Brighton explains.

"Oh that's not so-wait a minute, wait a minute," CC shakes her head, "Since when do you people have a cat?"

"Oh yeah," Brighton suddenly remembers what is probably the most crucial detail of the story, "there was a cat outside. He looked sad and hungry. So I thought I could help him."

"You let a stray cat into the house?" CC asks incredulously.

As if on cue, a loud screech is heard from the kitchen followed by a loud crash and muttered curse words from Maxwell.

"He looked nice," Brighton offers as explanation.

Again, CC finds herself hiding a smile as she pictures her boss trying to tackle a stray cat.

Suddenly, the door slams open to reveal a very frazzled looking Sara Sheffield, holding a red-faced, screaming baby Grace.

"Brighton Millhouse Sheffield! You will sit on that couch until dinnertime. And no dessert for a week! Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mommy," Brighton sighs, unsurprised by the punishment.

"CC, I hate to bother you, but could you watch him? I have to calm the baby down and Maxwell is busy trying to catch the cat to take to a shelter," Sara looks at her friend with big, pleading eyes.

"Me?" CC suddenly wishes she hadn't tossed the scripts into the trash, as now she can't even feign being busy.

"I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't completely desperate, Ceec."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," CC says sarcastically, but unable to stand the sound of the crying baby any longer, she sighs yieldingly, "Alright, alright, fine. I'll watch him."

"Niles can take him when dinner is ready! Thanks so much, CC! Brighton, behave yourself," Sara instructs and in a flash, she is out of the room.

An awkward, but appreciated silence envelops the room as CC waits for the ringing in her ears from the screaming baby to dissipate.

"So," she finally says, "what am I supposed to do with you?"

Brighton shrugs. "I dunno. Stuff."

CC looks around the room helplessly, "Um, well, I really should get some work done, seeing as your father is a little preoccupied at the moment. I guess…you could…watch me yell at cast members over the phone?"

"Okay, cool," Brighton grins mischievously.

* * *

Niles rounds the corner, careful not to let the contents of the tray spill. As he prepares to open the door to Maxwell's office, an angry yell from Miss Babcock startles him. He nearly tips the tray over as he storms through the door, prepared to find Brighton in tears over the demon woman's shouting.

"BABCOCK, WHAT THE—" He promptly shuts his mouth in shock, finding himself speechless in her presence for the first time in his life.

For instead of Brighton cowering in fear, Niles finds the child rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter while Miss Babcock berates some poor, unfortunate soul over the telephone.

If Miss Babcock is embarrassed or startled, she does not show it.

"This isn't over," she threatens into the phone before slamming it down on its cradle.

"What the hell do you want, Lurch?" She asks, paying no mind to the innocent ears taking in her every word.

"Well seeing as the kitchen is currently a disaster zone, I took the liberty of bringing you your dinner in here," He motions to the tray in his hands.

CC eyes him curiously, unaccustomed to him ever doing anything remotely thoughtful for her.

"I know how you get when you're hungry. Remind me, how many military biplanes did it take to get you down off the Empire State Building the last time?"

CC glares at him as he sets the tray down in front of her, "Oh, go away, Servant."

"Certainly, Kong."

CC makes a point of picking up the knife he's supplied for her sandwich, and Niles immediately steps out of her line of fire. She smiles wickedly to herself and sets to work devouring her meal.

"Master Brighton, I will return shortly for you when your dinner is ready," And with that he is gone from the room.

CC quickly finishes her dinner and lifts the lid off a smaller plate to reveal a big piece of chocolate cake.

"Perfect. Lysol-breath wants to ensure I'm the size of a horse so he has something else to make fun of me for."

"Who?" Brighton inquires from his spot on the sofa, causing CC to nearly spit out her iced tea in surprise.

"What? Oh. You're still here."

"Who's Lysol-breath?" Brighton asks.

"Niles." She answers simply.

"Why did you call him that?" He asks curiously.

CC sits befuddled for a moment. She's never had to deal with children before. Somehow she doubts that answering truthfully (that Niles is a useless oaf who lives to make her life miserable) is the right route to take.

"Ooh!" She suddenly snaps her fingers. "It's his last name!"

Brighton breaks out into a giggling fit at this revelation.

"Is that why Niles doesn't want anyone to know his last name?"

_Oh this is too good to be true._

"Yes. That is exactly right."

"That's funny," Brighton says through peals of laughter. His laughter is infectious, and CC cannot help but join in.

"But remember, Niles doesn't want anyone to know his last name, so don't go saying it around your parents. Deal?" She may not know how to interact with children, but at least she can cover her own ass so said children cannot get her into trouble with her employer and his wife.

"Deal," Brighton grins, proud of himself for being entrusted with such a big secret.

The door swings open and Niles is back.

"I swore I heard laughter in here, but I thought your kind fed off the tears and crushed dreams of innocent children?"

CC rolls her eyes, "No, Niles, it's the tears and crushed dreams of not-so-innocent butlers that really give my life meaning."

It's Niles turn to roll his eyes.

"Master Brighton, your dinner is ready," He turns to the green sofa, but Brighton is no longer seated there.

Instead he is at CC's side, eyeing the chocolate cake on the desk.

"Are you gonna eat all that?" He asks.

"I-" CC starts but is suddenly unsure of how to finish. The kid is banned from dessert for a week. But they're getting along so well.

Niles chuckles. "I'm not sure if watching Miss Babcock unhinge her jaw and swallow cake whole is really what your parents had in mind when they punished you."

"Don't be a jackass, Niles," She crosses her arms and glares up at him.

"Yeah, don't be a jackass, Niles," Brighton imitates, complete with arm crossing.

CC's jaw drops. _'Oh this is fantastic. Niles will surely tell Sara, and I will be banned from working from their home ever again.'_

Her jaw drops further when instead of getting angry, Niles is laughing. Relieved, CC joins in.

"Oh, my God," Niles sighs, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes.

"Really though, what did Sara expect when she left the kid with me?" CC asks innocently.

"Certainly not spoonfuls of sugar or raindrops on roses," Niles shakes his head.

CC sighs and looks at the boy, who is staring intently at the cake, unaware of the commotion he has caused.

"Here you go, kid," She hands him the fork. Brighton's eyes widen incredulously, and he digs in.

"But he's not supposed to-" Niles starts, but CC cuts him off.

"I won't tell if you won't."

He looks at her and she shrugs.

"Fine," He acquiesces. "I have some other errands to attend to. I will be back in a little while."

"Sure, Niles. Go ahead and attend to your errands. Maxwell's brandy isn't going to drink itself."

"You would know, lush." He smirks at her.

She opens her mouth to retort but Niles has already moved on.

"Master Brighton, you stay here with Miss Babcock. I will be back in a little while for you."

Brighton looks up from the cake, "Okay, Mr. Lysol-breath."

Niles shakes his head as CC cackles, slapping her own knee.

"Try not to do any more damage before I get back," He instructs as he exits.

Sighing gleefully, CC grabs another fork off the tray. She clinks it against the boy's as if they are toasting champagne.

"Good one, kid," She takes a bite of the cake as Brighton grins up at her, chocolate covering his entire face.


	3. Grace

**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! Here's the next installment. This is the only chapter that kept me from labeling this story as "Family/Humor." It's also the only chapter that made me reconsider naming this story Bundle of Joy (I'm really sorry about this chapter.) Well, enjoy! **

**Bundle of Joy Chapter 3 – Grace**

She sits alone in the office, trying in vain to finish reading over the latest script revisions from their show. She sighs, tossing the script down on the desk, knowing her efforts are fruitless today.

Looking out the window at the pouring rain and hearing the wind howl, she shivers, wrapping her black sweater around her tighter. She feels the cold all the way down to her bones, and this house…this house that was always so warm with love and happiness…no longer warms her up. Instead it is now a dark empty shell of the place it once was.

CC shakes her head, willing the thoughts away. She didn't cry when the police arrived at the house and said there had been an accident. She didn't cry when Maxwell and Niles returned from the hospital and announced that Sara had died. She didn't cry as she planned her best friend's funeral while Maxwell was holed up in his room and Niles took care of the confused, devastated children. She didn't cry earlier as she watched the casket being lowered into the ground. So she sure as hell wasn't going to cry now, alone in the office, taking care of business as usual so that Maxwell could grieve in peace.

She clenches her teeth as her hands shake, trying to fight back the tears. She needs a drink. That'll calm her down.

CC turns the lights off in the office, knowing that getting any actual work done tonight is a lost cause, and she then makes her way into the living room. She nearly sighs in relief that the bar is still fully stocked, and she pours herself a generous glass of whiskey. Just as she is about to take her first sip, footsteps on the stairwell startle her. She debates rushing back into the office, knowing if it's Maxwell or one of the children, she'll be completely at a loss for what to do or say.

She is relieved when she realizes it is only Niles, however, he is not alone. In his arms is the youngest Sheffield, still sniffling from the probable crying she had done upon waking up.

"Shhh, shh, Miss Grace. We don't want to wake up your sister and brother, do we?" Niles asks in soothing tones.

"Want…Mama," the toddler cries, her chubby little fingers rubbing tiredly at her eyes.

CC's heart sinks as she watches the butler take a seat on the sofa, cradling the little girl in his arms.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Grace. I'm so sorry," he says over and over again, and CC can tell he is almost at the point of losing it.

She puts the untouched glass of whiskey back down on the bar, and the clatter of the glass on the marble surface startles Niles.

"Oh, Miss Babcock, I didn't realize you were still here," he says tiredly and without any trace of the usual hostility he reserves for her in his voice. The two have come to an unspoken agreement to be civil to one another since Sara's death. CC cannot tell if she is thankful (she doesn't really have the energy to fight anyway) or if she misses exchanging barbs with her archenemy.

"Do you want me to-" she clears her throat, her voice suddenly hoarse, "Do you want me to go get Maxwell?"

Niles closes his eyes and shakes his head slowly.

"You've already tried Maxwell?" She guesses.

He nods. "He didn't answer."

CC isn't surprised. Maxwell hadn't left his room since returning from the hospital and telling the children of Sara's death, only coming out for the funeral and burial.

She clears her throat again, "Well, I guess I should-"

"Mama?" Grace lifts her head from Niles' arms at the sound of a woman's voice.

CC freezes.

"Mama?" Her voice is more desperate and Grace begins fighting Niles' arms, trying to turn around to follow the voice.

"Niles?" CC asks, a slight panic in her voice.

Niles tries to calm the child, doing his best to rock her back to sleep, but it is no use.

"Mama? Mama?! MAMA?" Grace wails, finally freeing herself from Niles grip and turning around to locate the voice.

CC thought for sure that once Grace turned around, she would realize it was not her mother. CC and Sara looked nothing alike, aside from both having blonde hair. The room is nearly dark though, with the chandelier on its dimmest setting, and Grace is young enough and delirious enough with exhaustion to believe anything.

"MAMA? Want….Mama," Grace's cries get louder and louder and her arms reach out for CC to take her.

"Niles, I don't know what to do. I'm not…I can't…" CC's voice nearly breaks as she trails off.

Niles nods, tears forming in his eyes.

"Just go, Miss Babcock. She'll fall asleep eventually."

CC turns to gather her things, when a piercing shriek echoes throughout the room.

"NO! Don't…go….want…Mama," Grace gets out in between sobs.

Before she realizes what she's doing, CC has quickly made it back to the couch. She scoops Grace up in her arms and sits back down next to Niles, rocking the girl while holding her tightly.

"Miss Babcock, you don't have to—" Niles starts, shocked at her actions.

"Shhh, Grace. It's okay, it's okay," She says, ignoring Niles as she rubs the little girl's back comfortingly.

Eventually, the rocking and CC's voice calm Grace down, and when CC feels the arms around her neck loosen, she realizes the child has fallen asleep.

"Niles?" She whispers, startling him from the trance he has been in since she took the child from his arms.

"Hmm? Oh, I will take her up to her room," He holds out his arms to receive the little girl, but CC shakes her head.

"I don't want to wake her up. Just show me where her room is, please."

Niles nods, and leads her up the stairs into the nursery. CC places the toddler into her crib, gently tucks her in, and strokes the light brown hair off the child's face before turning and leaving the room.

Niles follows her back down the stairs and watches as she walks back to the bar, immediately picking up the forgotten glass of whiskey, giving her hands something to do.

"Miss Babcock, I don't know how to thank you for what you did tonight. Miss Grace has done that every night since, and I think that's the first time she has truly fallen completely asleep."

CC nods, still not turning around. Niles notices her arms have not moved; she is still gripping the glass in her hands, not drinking.

"Miss Babcock?" He walks over to where she stands and places a hand on her shoulder.

She turns around, her eyes filled with tears and her hands trembling.

"She's gone, Niles. She's really gone."

Niles takes the drink from her hands, places it back on the bar, and envelops her in his arms as her knees give out, and CC finally breaks down. For a few minutes, she doesn't register that she is in the arms of a man whom she is supposed to hate. She simply clutches the lapels of his jacket and cries for all she is worth with her face buried in his shoulder.

When she is all cried out, CC disentangles herself from his arms, tucking her hair behind her ears self-consciously.

"I'm sorry, Niles. I don't know what came over me."

"Mrs. Sheffield was your friend," Niles says.

"She was my best friend," CC nods, wiping the remnant tears from her eyes, "I should go. Thanks, Niles…for everything."

"You're welcome, Miss Babcock." He gives her a genuine smile as he sinks back down onto the couch, the exhaustion from the day hitting him.

She gathers her things and heads for the door, pausing as she turns the nob.

"Hey, Niles?"

Surprised, he turns his head around from his spot on the sofa, "Yes?"

"Does Grace really do that every night?" She asks.

"Yes, why?" He looks at her confusedly.

"Just wondering," She mutters as she exits the Sheffield mansion.

Niles shrugs, not thinking anything of it, as he gets up to lock the house up for the night.

* * *

The next day, when Niles answers the door, CC is standing there with a large suitcase in each hand.

"What are you doing?" Niles asks.

CC shrugs, "Look you said the kid was having a hard time and I got her to go to sleep so I'm just gonna stay here for a little to help with her and the other kids if they need it. I don't know…don't make a big deal about it or anything."

"Wasn't going to," Niles moves out of her way so she can get by and watches as she lugs the suitcases up the stairs.

He shakes his head, chuckling to himself as he gets back to his work, feeling for the first time in a week that they will all be okay.


End file.
